For the first time in 896 days, St George Illawarra Dragons fullback Cody Ramsey has returned to the rugby league field after he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.
After doctors told him that he'd never lift a weight again, let alone play a rugby league match, Ramsey successfully returned to the field on Saturday in the Dragons NSW Cup trial match, having last played on September 3, 2022.
Debuting for the club as a 20-year-old in 2020, Ramsey's electric footwork and strong ball running made him an exciting prospect at fullback and a glimmer of hope for a club that hadn't seen much success in recent years.
His absence, which saw him struck down with the inflammatory bowel condition ulcerative colitis, couldn't have come at a worse time for the 23-year-old as he cemented himself as the club's first-choice fullback at the end of the 2022 season.
He has now overcome doctors' orders and produced a miracle by returning to the field.
"We fโing made history," Ramsey told Dragons Media after returning to the field.
"I wanted to play. I was supposed to play 20 (minutes), but I wanted to keep going and they kept me for another 10, which I'm grateful for.
"No one really knew how I was going to go. I'm well prepared. I've been training with the NRL squad for the whole pre-season. It was just the footy lungs that needed the work."
Ramsey's ordeal began when he started experiencing discomfort during a 10-kilometre pre-season run leading into the 2023 campaign.
He was hospitalised for several weeks and the severity of his illness and subsequent surgeries cast doubt on his ability to live a normal life, let alone return to professional sports.
"Every day that I sat in hospital, I thought about getting out on that field and today I got the opportunity," he added.
"My whole family's here. It was very emotional, but I feel like I'm well prepared. I wouldn't put myself out there if I didn't think I was in the right position.
"I was already a little bit emotional walking off, and then as soon as I saw my partner and my little girl on the side of the field, you know, you can't really contain it.
"I never thought that they'd be able to watch me play a game of football, and today they got the opportunity to."
